Folding table



May 3, 1938.

e. A. LENZ FOLDING TABLE Filed Sept. 8, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l awe/Wham y51938. I G. A. LENZ 2,115,727

FOLDING TABLE Filed Sept. 8, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 3, 1938(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 4 Claims.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The invention described herein, if patented,may be manufacturedand used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes without the payment-of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to foldingtables of a type in general use as card or sewing tables wherein thelegs may be folded compactly against the under side of the top of thetable for transportation or storage purposes, said legs and bracestherefore being firmly locked in extended positions and also in folded.positions by inflexible means requiring no adjustment for the purposeof maintaining firm and rigid operation of the parts. All of said parts,when the legs are folded, are adapted to rest within the depth of anarrow flange extending downwardly from the edge of the table.

An object of the invention is to provide means for firmly locking thelegs in extended positions and also in their folded positions, andfurther with means for tripping or releasing said locking means fromeither position of the legs from the edge of the table, said releasingmeans being in the form of a rounded slightly projecting member, notlikely to be struck by or catch the clothing of a person at or passingthe table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive,yet durable, construction that lends itself to the use of an all wood ormetal construction as well as one of part wood and metal construction,and is applicable to the use of either of the above materials for thetop or legs.

A further object in view is to provide positive leg locking means intheir extended positions and also in their folded positions and avoidaccidental displacement of said means in either position of the legs.

Another object is to provide easily accessible tripping means to releasethe leg locking means that does not mar the appearance of the table andwill permit resting the table, when the legs are folded, on either ofits edges, without releasing the legs from their folded positions.

Other objects will appear as the structure is described in detail.

The drawings showvone embodiment of the invention, but it will beunderstood that the embodiment shown is for the purpose of illustrationonly and that slight changes in form and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention,in which:

Fig. .1 is a perspective view of the improved table.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the table with the legs'folded.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the table on line 3-3 of Fig. 5, lookingin the direction of the ar- 7 rows, the legs extended and broken offadjace-ntto the braces.

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the legs folded. Fig. 5 is a verticalsection taken at right angles to Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line 6-5 of Fig. 5, looking inthe direction of themrows, showing in elevation the locking latches atone side of the table.

'table respectively. The top of the table may be of any suit-ablematerial, such as thin, inexpensive, artificial or natural board andwooden flanges, which constitutes a rigid, supporting frame, or the topand flanges may be of sheet metal, pressed to form the top and flangesin one piece, said flanges in any instance being provided with anoutwardly extending portion 2 adapted};

not only to strengthen and improve the appearance of the table but toprevent accidental tripping of the leg locking means when the legs arein their folded positions, which will be described later.

The legs 4, are separately mounted at each corner of the table, two ofsaid legs at opposite sides of the table are adapted to operate on theirrespective pivots toward each other when folded and rest in their foldedpositions one upon the other andparallel with the adjacent side flange,which will later be identified as oppositely arranged guide platesupporting flang-es. The legs are pivotally mounted by means of brackets5 secured to the leg mounting flanges 3, said brackets having projectingears 6 between which reduced extensions 1 of the legs are mounted onpins passing through said parts. The pivots for the legs, the latterbeing preferably of metal tubing of small gauge, are arranged onopposite leg mounting flanges, on different planes a distance equal tothe thickness of the legs, which 7 posite leg mounting flange, said lastmentioned legs, in turn resting flat along their entire length, againstthe under face of the top of the table, thereby providing for a perfectnesting of the four legs, two of which are mounted on opposite flangesof the table.

The legs 4 when extended are rigidly maintained in position againststrains from all directions by inflexible braces I and 8, arranged at 90degrees from each other, and prevent displacement of the legs in anydirection toward or from' the table.

With reference to said braces, there are pivotally mounted at theirupper ends on the leg mounting flanges 3 swinging braces 8, the mountingbrackets as seen at 9 are similar in construction to the leg mountingbrackets 5 and their pivots are in line. The lower ends of the swingingbraces are rigidly mounted on the legs. With the above arrangement ofparts, there is no relative movement of the legs and swinging braceswhen the legs are moved to either the extended or folded positions.

The traveling braces II! are pivotally mounted at their lower ends onthe legs, preferably on the securing means at the lower ends of theswinging braces, on the opposite sides of the leg therefrom, saidtraveling braces at their upper ends being provided with lock pins Iladapted to operate in guide slots I2 arranged adjacent to the upper edgeof guide plates I3 mounted on the inner faces of oppositely arrangedguide supporting flanges 2. The slots I2 in the guide plates I3 arearranged near the upper edges of said plates for the purpose of aligningthe traveling brace, with its respective leg, when folded and restingagainst the under side of the table top. The guide plates I3 are alsoprovided with slots I4 arranged slightly below slots I2 and are adaptedto control the travel of lock pins II at the ends of traveling braces IOmounted on the legs that, when folded, rest beneath the adjacent legs,the slot I4 being located in such a position as to cause the travelingbraces, when the parts are folded, to rest parallel with theirrespectivelegs.

The guide plates I3 are mounted on the inner faces of opposite flanges 2in any preferred manner and consist of bent end portions, secured at I5to the flanges 2, and have intermediate portions I6 in which slots I2and I4 are formed, said slotted portions of the guide plate beingarranged to provide spaces between the plates and the inner faces of theflanges 2, and in said spaces the looking latches H are mounted, therebeing three on opposite sides of the table, of identical constructionand operation, and a description of one, it is believed, will besufficient.

The locking latch H, as shown in enlarged detail in Figs. 6-'7 and 8,consists of a rocker arm pivotally mounted at I8 on a supporting memberI9 mounted on the inner face of flange 2, said rocker arm is providedwith an arm 20 extending in one direction from pivot I8, having anaperture 21 therein adapted to receive, securely hold and prevent anymovement of lock pin II in the slot, said pin being mounted in the upperend of a traveling brace II) of one of the legs. An arm 22 of the latchextends in an opposite direction from arm 20 and is adapted to beengaged by a tripping rod 23 which is mounted in the flange 2 of thetable, and extends a short distance beyond the outer face of said flangeand is provided with a smooth rounded end 24 adapted to cast off anyclothing that might otherwise be caught thereon. A spring 25 is mountedin such a manner as to firmly hold the aperture in arm 20 in contactwith pin II when the rocker arm is released, said arm being providedwith an inclined portion at 26 to cause the pin I I to raise arm 20 andautomatically slip into its aperture 2| and locked position, when theleg has reached its full extended position.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings that a lockinglatch 21 is located at the end of slot I4 opposite to that occupied bythe locking latch I1, said latch 21 is of the same construction andoperation as looking latch I1, and provides means for maintaining thelower of the two legs at the corresponding side of the table in itsnested or folded position, and necessarily the upper of the two legsthat is resting thereon in its folded position. The latch 21 is tripped,to permit the extension of the legs, by a tripping rod as seen at 28 inFig. 2, said tripping rod extending through the flange of the tablebeneath extension 2 but not beyond same, thus avoiding accidentalrelease of the folded legs when the table is resting on its" edge inwhich the tripping latch is mounted.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A folding table comprising a rectangular top, a flange depending fromits edges consisting of two oppositely arranged leg mounting portionsand two oppositely arranged guide supporting portions, independentlymounted legs pivotally supported on the leg mounting portions of theflanges at the corners of the table, the pair of legs at one side of thetable being mounted on a plane beneath that of the pair of legs on theopposite side of the table a distance equal to the thickness of the legsand adapted to fold flat against the under face of the table top, one ofsaid pairs of legs when folded resting beneath the oppositely mountedpair of legs, swinging braces rigidly mounted at their lower ends on thelegs and pivotally mounted at their upper ends on the leg mountingflanges in line with their respective leg pivots and adapted to swingwith the leg into extended position and brace same in line with its legmounting flange and into folded position, guide plates mounted on theguide supporting flanges having upper and lower slots therein, travelingleg braces pivotally mounted at their lower ends on their respectivelegs and having pins at their upper ends to operate in said slot as thelegs are swung from folded to extended positions adapted to brace thelegs at right angles to said swinging braces, means arranged at the endsof said slots to lock said pins in leg extended positions and means fortripping said locking means.

2. A folding table comprising a rectangular top, a flange depending fromits edges consisting of two oppositely arranged leg mounting portionsand two oppositely arranged guide supporting portions, all of saidportions having outward extensions, independently mounted legs pivotallymounted on the leg mounting portions of the flanges at the corners ofthe table, the pair of legs at one side of the table being mounted on aplane beneath that of the pair of legs on the opposite side of the tablea distance equal to the thickness of the legs and adapted to fold flatagainst the under face of the table top, one of said pairs of legs whenfolded resting beneath the oppositely mounted pair of legs, swingingbraces rigidly mounted at their lower ends on the legs and pivotallymounted at their upper ends on the leg mounting flanges inline withtheir respective leg pivot and adapted to swing with the leg intoextended position and brace same in line with its leg mounting flangeand into folded position, guide plates mounted on the guide supportingflanges having upper and lower slots therein, traveling leg bracespivotally mounted at their lower ends on their respective legs andhaving pins at their upper ends to operate in said slot as the legs areswung from folded to extended positions adapted to brace the leg atright angles to said swinging braces, means arranged at the ends of saidupper and lower slots to lock the legs in extended positions comprisinga latch having a spring pressed rocker arm mounted on the inner face ofthe guide mounting flange, one of said arms adapted to engage said pinat the end of a traveling brace to maintain the leg in extended positionand a tripping rod extending through said flange adapted to trip saidlatch from the outer edge of the table.

3. A folding table comprising a rectangular top, a flange depending fromits edges consisting of two oppositely arranged leg mounting portionsand two oppositely arranged guide supporting portions, all of saidportions having outward extensions, independently mounted legs pivotallymounted on the leg mounting portions of the flanges at the corners ofthe table, the pair of legs at one side of the table being mounted on aplane beneath that of the pair of legs on the opposite side of the tablea distance equal to the thickness of the legs and adapted to fold flatagainst the under face of the table top, one of said pairs of legs whenfolded resting beneath the oppositely mounted pair of legs, swingingbraces rigidly mounted at their lower ends on the legs and pivotallymounted at their upper ends on the leg mounting flanges in line withtheir respective leg pivot and. adapted to swing with the leg intoextended position and brace same in line with its leg mounting flangeand into folded position, guide plates mounted on the guide supportingflanges having upper and lower slots therein, traveling leg bracespivotally mounted at their lower ends on their respective legs andhaving pins at their upper ends to operate in said slot as the legs areswung from folded to extended positions adapted to brace the leg atright angles to said swinging braces, means arranged at the ends of saidslots a flange depending from its edges consisting of two.

oppositely arranged leg mounting portions and two oppositely arrangedguide supporting portions, all of said portions having outwardextensions, independently mounted legs pivotally mounted on the legmounting portions of the flanges at the corners of the table, the pairOflegs at one side of the table being mounted on a plane beneath that ofthe pair of legs on the opposite side of the table a distance equal tothe thickness of the legs and adapted to fold flat against the underface of the table top, one of said pairs of legs when folded restingbeneath the oppositely mounted pair of legs, swinging braces rigidlymounted at their lower ends on the legs and pivotally mounted at theirupper ends on the leg mounting flanges in line with their respective legpivot and adapted to swing with the leg into extended position and bracesame in line with its leg mounting flange and into folded position,guide plates mounted on the guide supporting flanges having" upper andlower slots therein, traveling leg braces pivotally mounted at theirlower ends on their respective legs and having pins at their upper endsto operate in said slot as the legs are swung from folded to extendedpositions adapted to brace the leg at right angles to said swingingbraces, brace looking latches mounted on the guide flanges adapted toengage the traveling pins at the ends of the traveling leg braces andlock latches mounted on the guide supporting flanges adapted to lock thelower pair of legs in folded position and tripping rods extendingthrough the flanges operable from the outer face of said flanges adaptedto trip said latches and release said pins, said tripping means for thelower latches being arranged beneath the outward extension of saidflanges.

GEORGE A. LENZ.

